Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Pococke's Tour in Ireland in 1752 (Author: Richard Pococke)
entry 17
On the 11th I set out with Mr. Fitzgerald a surveyor of the Revenue, who had accompanied me yesterday, and with whom I had been acquainted formerly in Munster. We rode four miles to a village pleasantly situated called Ardeau, and a mile further came on the strand from a Glyn between the high cliffs through which a rivlet falls into the sea. Even about this part at a distance the rocks appear a little like the Causeway, but they consist only of large stones of the
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rocks in strata something in that manner. The cliffs are very high, at top is a stratum of stone, then of rotten rock and then fine white lime stone. From the height I saw the barr of sand at Coleraine Harbour which crosses the mouth of the river in such a manner as that no vessel of any burthen can come over it, and this appears by the sea breaking against it. At these cliffs which extend from near Coleraine to Magilligan four or five miles, that chain of mountains end which run through the County of Londonderry, Tyrone and Monaghan and as I take it, end to the south in low hills in the County of Cavan: I came to these cliffs to see a grotto much talk'd of, call'd Solomons Porch, but it is nothing compared with those beautiful grottoes I saw at Ballimagarry: It is only a long narrow cave, the entrance of which without doubt was handsomer before it was very much choak'd up with sand as it is at present. I observed here that the flint lay more in strata than in other parts. Near this grotto is a fine cold spring up the cliff, they come and take a hearty draft of the sea water and then when it purges drink of this water plentifully. We came to the west end of the cliff, and I was sufficiently recompensed for my dissappointment by the pleasure I had in the ride afterwards first for two miles along the strand and afterwards when I turned to the south through a plain having high cliffy hills to the east with a gentle ascent for some way from the bottom, the rich hay country of Magilligan to the west makeing out in that point to the north west towards Greencastle in Inishowen and makes the entrance about two miles broad into that bay which is called the Lough of Derry, then the high hills of Inishowen cover'd with corn almost to the top: We had a very good road and passed by the house for Lodging of such people resort to this place in order to drink goats whey,
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and came into a plain which extends farther to the East; and came to the direct road from Coleraine and arrived at Newtown Limavady pleasantly situated on the river Roe, near which are some seats with good plantations very finely situated. This town consists of one broad Street, and tho' it has a mean appearance, yet it has a great trade in linnen and linnen yarn, insomuch that there are many in the town who can at any time give considerable bills of Exchange on London. This is also an estate of the Society in the hands of [gap: extent: one word] stopping here to dine my acquaintance Dr. Bacon Minister of Ballykeley whom I did design to visit, was passing through and came and dined with me, and then accompanied me to Limavady. We passed by the river Roe, on each side of which are high rocky cliffs with trees growing out of them, and a wood on each side and some beautiful cascades of water rush through the rocks; we came to the sight of the old castle of Limavady, the fortress of the O'Kanes, the ancient Lords of this Country: It has the name of Limavady (the dog's leap) from a narrow passage of the river beneath the rocks a little higher up, over which a dog may leap, and young men divert themselves by vaulting over it. This estate was in the possession of that Philips and his descendants who was sent over to divide the land beneath the Companies: and they tell a comical story, that he represented that he could no way make the division so as to take in this estate, and that on this they gave it to him for his trouble: But I was informed that he having a grant of the lands of the Convent of Coleraine exchanged them for these: However that may be, it is an exceeding fine spot of ground: and the Philips's I have had the pleasure to be long acquainted with, are a younger branch of that family, a cousin of Captain Philips being the person who sold
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the estate. There are several Danish forts about this place, some of which the gentlemen have planted with clumps of firs which have a beautiful effect. There is a lime stone here which is of a slaty kind or runs in thin strata, and I was inform'd that when polished, it is of the dove colour of the Ardbraccan Marble, and I then went two miles farther to Dr. Bacon's parsonage house, a good brick edifice with large gardens and a well improved glebe; the house and part of the improvements were built and made by my worthy friend Dr. Owen Dean of Clonmacnoise. This parish of Ballykelly consists of about 700 houses, 30 or 40 acres being a great farm, which gives the country a very rich look all being under corn and good pasturage, for they have a shell bank in the Lough of Derry which affords fine manure, ten quarters of shells, each of them two barrels being excellent manure for four years, and will produce two crops of barley and two of oats. From this I went to the Charter school, very lately open'd for twenty boys and twenty girls founded by the encouragement of the Earl of Tyrone, who gave 64 acres at twenty shillings a year. I went on to the mansion house of this estate, which came to the Earl from General Hamilton and belongs to the Society. The house has been lately burnt and is to be rebuilt. Lord Tyrone designing to give this estate to his second son: The estate is finely planted, mostly with firs and delightfully situated on the Lough. I took leave of Dr. Bacon and went on towards Kerry, a most pleasant ride: For the Lough growing narrower, the country on the other side appeared in much greater beauty. I observed some very Romantick situations on the rising ground to the south: To the north I saw a small Lough or large pond, with an Island in it, and over it in a most pleasant situation an old Church;
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This is called Anack, and is I suppose the same that Sr. Wm. Petty calls Ardnenoymak. I came to the river Finn over which I crossed to Londonderry; this river rises out of Lough Finn which is very near the western coast: The towns of Lifford and Strabane are situated on it, opposite to each other, and it is an exceeding fine country all up the river. Londonderry is situated on a height over the river which runs on the east and north sides of it; it is something like the situation of Guildford, commands a view of a well improved hilly country, of the river and the narrow part of the Lough or rather the mouth of the river: From the situation of two or three Church yards, where there were old Churches, I concluded that the old town of Derry was situated on the side of the windmill hill to the north west and perhaps extended down to the valley below, as I was informed it did. When this estate was granted to the Companies, it was on condition that they should fortify it, which they did as it now remains in the modern way, but without any subterraneous works, so that on that account and being encompassed with hills it is by no means a strong place, nor can it possibly be made strong: The walk round the ramparts is very pleasant. The Society also built a handsome Townhouse, and a church at the first settlement, which is an handsome parish church; something like many Churches in large country towns in England with an organ and Gallery at the west end. The Bishops and Deans seats are pointing to the west, on each side of the opening to the Chancel; and the stalls of the Prebends are to be in a line with them. There is a monument in the church of Mr. Elvinope of the first inhabitants who died in 1676—102 years old. The bases of the pillars are of oxes heads, which I take to have been an old Roman altar cut in two pieces, brought probably
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from Scotland or the north of England—The present Primate gave a new organ to the church, who was first Dean and then Bishop of this church. There is a foot Barrack in the town for a Regiment, and a Magazine for powder, and an arsenal for their old Canon. They bombarded and played the canon on the town from the windmill hill and from another height to the south west, and it is said that when they began to batter the town, the besieged sent to 'em not to hurt the town which would be their own, and that they need not batter, as the gates were open for them to come in; and it is said that a Colonel of a Regiment offering his service to try, if he could enter the gates which were actually left open; they having notice of it, planted Canon one over another, gave them a terrible fire, sallyed out and cut the whole Regiment to pieces. Below the town about three miles is Culmorefort at the mouth of the river, across which a chain was drawn to prevent any relief coming to them, but a ship went against it under full sail, broke the chain, and brought them provisions when they were in great distress. In the church are two of the Standards which the besieged took from the enemy. The Governor is styled Governor of Culmore and Londonderry and has a salary of £600 a year. The commanding officer is Deputy Governor, and when no troops are in it the Mayor, who is the returning officer of Members both for this town and the County, as I was informed. They have here a great market every Wednesday for linnen and flaxen yarn; Coleraine, Newtown Limavady and Strabane having linnen markets on other days of the week for the same purpose, to which the Merchants go round and buy up the linnens and yarn, the latter is sent to Manchester.